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Culture Policy

Some Reflections
DEVDUTT

SINCE Independence in 1947, national integration, people are compelled to think creatively and a
has been a long-standing concern of the Indian ruling larger frame of reference or a new perspective in
classes and the common people. Several efforts at the light of which the systemic logjam can be
various levels have been made in this regard. comprehended and resolved. For instance, the idea of
One of the them, which is less known but crucial, cultural policy as such, came into vogue in the
underlined the need for formulation and adoption of discourse which ensued during the post-World War II
a national culture policy to prevent fissiparous period. Specifically stated "the idea of cultural
tendencies and to promote the ideals of the Indian democracy emerged as the major innovation in
Constitution and to face new problems of an evolving cultural policy"... because of the alarm over social
modern polity. trends that were being-felt globally, viz., the
Two major initiatives were taken. The first one proliferation of electronic mass media,
was a seminar at the Institute of Advanced Study, urbanization, modernization along with individual
Shimla, in 1972 and the second was public alienation and de-recination which accompany
discussions on a draft policy document prepared by them. "These factors coalesced to give rise to a
Union Ministry of Human Resource Development in pervasive social passivity dangerous to democracy,
1992. eroding traditional cultural activities and
Big changes which have taken place in India replacing them...These challenges to democratic
and the world during the past quarter century call for cultural development were global, but they
a fresh initiative to formulate a culture policy in the
light of the new challenges. manifested themselves in different ways…
depending upon local social and political condition
This paper which is in three parts, gives: (a) a
brief account of the two culture policies formulated in
in developing countries and industrialized
1972 and 1992, (b)a critique of the two policy societies."
documents, (c) a brief survey of some new facets of Originally* the term cultural policy in the
India during the past two decades• with special West described it as "the aggregate of the values and
reference to the need for a debate on culture policy princi|ples, which :guide any social entity in cultural
including 'core-values' which should inform the affairs.'' UNESCO, interalia, played an important
discussions aimed at enhancing or augmenting role in "defining effective cultural policies for
people's capabilities to respond creatively to a rapidly
application at most appropriate levels with creative
globalized milieu of the twenty-first century.
partnership taking account of the wealth of
experience in and progress accumulated in the course
of lengthy process marked by the World Conference
Introductory Remarks on Culture Policies (Mondiacult, Mexico, 1982)
IT is not uncommon in the history of even the most followed by several initiatives during 1988-
stable systems when, as Yeats, the Irish poet, 2001.UNESCO lends assistance to member states
graphically puts it, 'things fall apart, the centre can "in updating their cultural policies in order to meet
not hold…mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.’ their new needs arising out of globalization; such
The reason for this kind of crisis situation is not only revisions relate to the institutional aspects of
lack of adequate instrumentalities and institutional cultural sector and its links with development
and other support structures but also a 'systemic’ policies involving education, science,
disability to respond to new challenges which give communication, health and tourism." It is said,
rise to antagonistic contradictions and dilemmas. It "some thirty states have taken steps in this regard
is in such a critical situation that over the last five years."
However, other non-state organizations are state-imposed regimentation." Others doubted the
a l s o a c t i v e in this field. For instance, an i n t e n t i o n and the a b i l i t y of t h e government to
organization called Culturelink, Zagreb implement a coherent policy in a field as complex
(established: 1989) has prepared a compendium as culture, and some of t h e m maintained t h a t no
from countries throughout the world; another culture policy adequate to our circumstances could
organization (Culture Policies in Europe, be i m p l e m e n t e d w i t h o u t o v e r t hr o wi n g the
Liechstcnsteins) offers 32 cultural policy profiles; prevailing socio-economic system. But the majority
t h e Data Bank of C u l t u r e l i n k (set up in 1991- of t he participants recognised the sustained
1992) offers a list of countries in all five continents. involvement of the state in matters cultural and
In so far as India is concerned, in consonance agreed that a general formulation would provide
with the perception of a national cultural policy in perspectives for specific policies and action.
t h e w e s t two major a t t e m p t s were made to As regards the basic social objective of a
formulate a national culture policy during the past culture policy, an inegalitarian, high consumption
34 years, viz., one in 1972 and the other in 1992. society model was ruled out. It was stated that
ideas and beliefs, which encourage resignation,
II inequalities, and divisiveness, whether in the name
of fate, or tradition, or of caste and communal
Culture Policy in India obligations, must be exposed and rejected. The
Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla policy should aim at releasing the democratic
initiative of the people. It should aim at promoting
In 1972, Indian Institute of Advanced Study,
self-reliance, egalitarianism, national integration,
Shimla, held a seminar in order to appraise
and humanism based on a synthesis of the vital
formally the cultural situation in India and to
elements of our traditions and of modern science
delineate "a broad outline of a culture policy in
and technology.
tune with Indian realities." The seminar was held in
the context of a clash between two cultural trends at The concept of national integration implied,
work in India. "One trend attempts to perpetuate the among other things, the rejection of those
vestiges of feudalism, which were strengthened approaches to history and culture that minimise
during colonial rule and found expression in various the role of the people, and the contribution of
forms including revivalism, sectarianism, different sections, regions, and religious groups
communalism, and continuing exploitation; today it towards the growth of an integrated culture. The
is often aligned with neo-colonialism: The other need to nurture and utilise our rich cultural
trend flows from the struggle of the people for the diversity also was underlined.
r e a l i z a t i o n of the democ rati c a n d secular As regards the tools, it was stated that the
aspirations whose foundations were laid during the educational structure should be geared not to the
national liberation struggle." It was argued that the defence of the status quo, but to the radical
absence of a well-defined national culture policy transformation of the social system. The concept
helped the forces of communalism and of elitist a education as a must was rejected. The
sectarianism to thwart the development of a realization of these objectives necessitated
secular culture. However, it was also felt that interalia, the eradication of illiteracy, the
democratic and socialist forces at different levels nationalization of educational institutions, the
were stronger than ever before, and that the earlier abolition of public schools and other educational
failures could now be remedied. In 1972 it was institutions based on privileges, and the promotion
argued that absence of a well-defined culture policy of participatory management in education. The
had helped the forces of communalism and medium of instruction at all levels should be the
sectarianism to thwart the development of a languages of the states concerned, with effective
secular culture. safeguards for linguistic minorities. Adequate
The seminar discussed the need for a national steps should be taken to promote all the scheduled
culture policy. Some participants thought that a and tribal languages. Greater emphasis should be
national culture policy "might pave the way for given to science teaching in schools.
The seminar noted t h a t the cultivation of spreading the scientific outlook and for increasing
science and technology was t h e dominant feature the social and cultural awareness of the people is
of t he contemporary world. Apart from making it self-evident. While India has built up considerable
possible to b ri n g to the common man greatly facilities in this direction, the content, spread, and
increased material and cultural amenities, it effectiveness of communications have to be
shaped new modes of thought, new values, and a improved substantially. A built in system to study
new kind of world view, Those elements of Indian and evaluate the impact of the mass media, as
tradition that emphasise systematic observation, well as the development of outside agencies for
objective analysis, experimentation, and the lira this purpose, is a prime requisite. It was noted
wing of inferences as a basis for action should be that the transistor revolution had made
nurtured. The emergence of social consciousness broadcasting a medium truly reaching the masses.
among scientists requires a full explication of the But the lack of a clear social purpose had resulted
social antecedents and consequences of science and in an imbalance in the programme policies, and
technology: the role of the radio in bringing about attitudinal
While science itself is a product of a socio- changes had been minimal. As an instrument of
economic base and can not be developed in education, it had also been utilized most
isolation, socio-economic development can not take inadequately. Television, although intended
place without promoting science and technology, initially as a means for educating the masses, had
Self-reliant, science and technology freed from neo- failed to live up to its promise.
colonialist domination and from the control of Draft 'HRD' Document: 1992
monopoly houses and vested interests within the
We do not know the response of th e
country, are prerequisites for national
government to the formulations of the Shimla
development.
seminar. However, in 1989-90, the Union Ministry
The present urban-biased orientations in of Human Resource Development (HRD) initiated a
regard to l i t e r a t u r e and the arts promote process in regard to national cultural policy.
tendencies of imitativeness and social
The seminar 11 August in 1972 noted that the
complacency. A modern dynamic culture can be
absence of well defined national cultural policy had
achieved only through the interaction, fusion, and
helped the forces of communalism and
synthesis of the rich traditional forms with the
sectarianism which thwarted the development of
vital values of contemporary society.
secular culture. Similarly the draft policy of 1992
The survival of tribal and folk art forms-would-- was interalia, formulated in the context of
depend upon the encouragement they are given in dissensions and growing in tolerance in the country.
their traditional setting, and their continuance will
The need for a national cultural policy has
act as an inspiration to our contemporary artists.
been justified on the ground that, "culture is being
To sustain the folk and .tribal traditions, craft
attacked from all directions. The major danger is
schools should be established in tribal and rural
due to alienation from our rural life; city culture is
areas; their arts and literatures documented and
spoiling our rural culture. We will have to protect
preserved; theatre and regional folk troupes
and preserve our culture. We should try to preserve
formed; and ethnographic museums established.
and save our culture from westernization and
Universities need to establish faculties of adulteration. There is a crisis of character among
dance, drama, music, and the fine arts. The our youths... we should try to inculcate basic values
r e s t r u c t u r i n g a n d decentralization of the of sincerity, honesty".
academies is an urgent necessity. The basic It has been stated in the introduction: "The
facilities should spread far beyond the country has reached a stage in its economic and
metropolitan centres; such diffusion of facilities is technical development when the cultural
essential for involving talent from larger areas of dimension needs to be brought into sharper focus
the country. and the importance of culture has to be clearly
The importance of the mass media for and candidly defined." The need to revive and
highlighted and widely brought home to all. The
state has a very definite responsibility, although
direct state intervention needs to be avoided. The
reintegrate a holistic vision of culture in India was state must not be involved in any direct grant but
emphasised. "Investment in... the cultural the state should provide funds and facilities for
dimension during the past 35 years has not been such activities. As far as possible, the state should
commensurate with the broad social needs and play a catalytic role in the development and
its intrinsic value." It is argued, "cultural factors... progress of culture its role being what may be
are crucial to also sustainable development." called 'arms length intervention/

About ten regional seminars were held around (ii) While resisting any colonization of mind
the country during 1989-90. Their findings were the Indian people "should remain in constant
collated in a paper, which was circulated among dialogue with the world at large in the realm of
ideas, perception, media and expression.
Members of Parliament and state culture
Deculturisation, dehumanization and alienation
ministers and more than 500 artists, writers,
must be avoided... there should be a fine synthesis
filmmakers, critics and media men. The response
between change oriented technologies in the
was sifted and the suggestions were included in
country's community of cultural traditions."
an approach paper in 1992. It was discussed by
the HRD ministry's Consultative and Standing (iii) Cultural education in schools, not as an
Committees and tabled in the Lok Sabha in August additional but as an integrated component of
1992. curriculum teaching makes the child aware of the
ancient tradition to familiarize the youth with
The Approach Paper on the National Culture philosophical concepts and images based on
Policy drawn up in 1992 represented the first centuries of evolution of aesthetic values,
serious attempt by the government at framing a creativity and through conservation of
''coherent, all-encompassing culture policy in a field environment. Education in various forms of
that has borne the brunt of neglect, appreciation of all art forms of culture such as fine
mismanagement and bureaucratic bungling." The arts, music, dance, theatre and literature, etc. to
approach paper at the outset says, "a stage has enable children and youth to develop sensitivity
arrived when the importance of culture has to be to duty and harmony must arouse deeper interest
clearly and candidly defined, the area of public in elements of composite culture. Guru-shishya
interest in culture identified, and the role of the paranipara should be strengthened, widened and
state in culture assessed and readjusted, strongly supported keeping in view the changed
importance of societal and voluntary effort in this ethos.
area recognized and further encouraged.
(iv) Growth has frequently been conceived in
In this context, the following salient points quantitative terms without taking into account-
were made. qualitative dimensions, namely, spiritual and •
(i) The draft policy recognizes that it shall be cultural aspirations. The country has reached a
dealing not with the total spread and complexity stage in its economic and technical development
of culture, basically, but only with some aspects, when the cultural dimension needs to be brought
viz., to outline conditions conducive to more into sharper forces and strengthening. The draft
satisfactory self-expression and participation in approvingly quotes UNESCO's inter-governmental
committee of world decade for cultural
cultural life by the Indian people at large. There
development.
should be no attempt to give any single direction
or ideological orientation or prescribe any (v) To revive and re-integrate a holistic vision
standards of culture. Diversities must be allowed of culture in India in such a way that no segment,
free play within an over-all context of harmony area or community feels excluded and each are
and consonance. The Indian culture can not be encouraged to freely contribute towards identifying,
identified with any single tradition and consisting of promoting, fostering, and projecting cultural
an ever enriching multiplicity of many traditions. In growth and enrichment in various fields care would
the current context of dissensions and growing have to be taken for promoting and projecting
intolerance, it is imperative that the composite
character of o u r c u l t u r e made by various
communities to it and to inclusive ethos is
on 17th August 1992 The committee made twenty-
cultural contributions of the weaker sections and three general observations on culture policy and
minorities in all parts of India. made practical observations and comments on
mass media/TV, (six) on literary art to the tribal/
But it is noteworthy that the paper is
folk arts and culture, (three) music, dance and
primarily focussed on the 'material culture" and
theatre, (one) museum and libraries.
the infrastructure facilities required for it. For
example, the central piece of the approach paper is The committee favoured the exclusive role of
setting up Bharatiya Sanskriti Parishad. It state in regard to culture policy. It felt that there is
envisages the setting up of artist's hostels along no codified culture in India, which is important for
the lines of sports hostels in states to select and development of u n d e r s t a n d i n g a n d also
train young talent from schools. It also speaks of national integration. "If planning is done from the
c u l t u r a l education at the school level and, villages at grass root level with a central control, it
accordingly, imparting cultural training to will be fruitful for raising cultural awareness
teachers. The approach paper also suggests that among the masses. The state government has to
because of the large number of cultural agencies play a very positive role in the development of
and organizations, a training programme in culture and it can not be left to private individuals
"cultural administration" be evolved to make or corporate sector. It might be dangerous and
specialised management available to them. destructive to invite private sector for sponsoring
Attempts will be made to attract investment from cultural events, as is the experience with films.
the private, corporate sector. Private sector will not help in promotion of culture,
the government should discourage private sector in
A major part of the proposed policy deals with entering the field."
the preservation and promotion of tribal and folk
cultures and talks of s e t t i n g up a National As regard the objectives of the cultural policy,
Documentation Centre for Tribal and Folk the committee declared: "The country's integration
Traditions with branches at suitable places. It also can be maintained only by recognizing the Indian
makes a strong plea to progressively delegate more cultural values which could be achieved only
powers to the National Library in Kolkata and to t h r o u g h the M i n i s t r y of Human Resource
redefine its goals and objectives. Development..." For this purpose, culture should
be brought on the central list of the Constitution.
The approach paper led to debates in both
government and art circles and at times evoked We should have a Culture Policy, which can
preserve national integration. Promotion of
responses verging on the negative, with many
nationalism and patriotism as a part of cultural
questioning the need for a culture policy in t he'
policy in the interest of the nation is needed.
first place. For instance, a national colloquium was
Culture should be used as a tool for communal
organized in Delhi on 16 and 17 November 1992.
harmony through cultural activities.
The colloquium did not dwell upon the conceptual
aspects of a cultural policy for India. It focussed As regards the content of culture policy, it is
attention on practical administrative and. said: "Culture is related with society, its life style,
organizational issues as well as on resources for its perception and not with politics or economic
cultural activities. For example, it made forty- policy." The culture policy should be based on
seven recommendations relating to music and Indian value system and Indian principles, which
dance, theatre, media and culture (which covered reflect our old traditional culture. The values
film, TV, video, radio and art criticism), visual enumerated the Vedas and those prevalent during
arts, photography and architecture, education, Vedic times should be included. Research should
culture and development. The colloquium also be undertaken.
made seventeen recommendations on promotion The committee rejected the suggestion
and support of culture. regarding the establishment of a Bharatiya
The Parliamentary Consultative Committee Sanskriti Parishad, saying a top-heavy body is not
of the Ministry of Human Resource Development necessary; a body armed with such vast powers is
examined the draft of National Cultural Policy in likely to become an instrument of the government's
two meetings: the first on 1 August and the second
partition in 1947. It adopted 'democratic
cultural domination. "The committee, however, secularism". It was also assumed that economic
shared the concern expressed over the awfully low progress a n d modernization w o u l d serve as
budgetary allocations for the culture department. solvents of the communal problem. It. was not
The committee suggested the setting up of a anticipated that the process of implementation of
National Cultural Fund. Contributions could be the idea could either have divisive side effects in
made to it, not only from the budgetary sources our plural polity or initiate a process of
but also from private and voluntary organizations. 'differentiation' in the civil society.
In 1995, the Union Minister Madhav Rao For various reasons, the democratic
Scindia was keen that the 1992 approach paper secularism during 1950-72 did not yield adequate
on National Culture Policy was passed by the results. On the contrary, Hindu secularism of
Parliament. But the initiative taken in 1992 communal and non-secular forces again raised their
remains incomplete. head; e.g., the rise of Bharatiya Jan Sangh in mid
sixties and BJP in mid-eighties. It is in the light of
A Critique these developments that the concept of culture
It may be recalled that during the period 1885- policy as a means of promoting harmony and unity
mooted in 1972 and 1992 can be viewed as a
1905 basic problems of society in India were
landmark.
discussed at the end of every annual session of the
Indian National Congress. But after 1905 these The debates on national c u l t u r a l policy
debates, which were conditioned by the western initiated by the Central Human Resource
perspective, were dropped because it was found Development Ministry in 1992 are also a
that a free and frank debate on sensitive social landmark in the evolution of a national approach
issues proved politically divisive. to the conflicts since 1972, particularly those
rooted in religion and ethnicity in general.
Mahatma Gandhi experimented with a
comprehensive vision and perspective of national It appears that in spite of dissimilarity of tone
and tenor and approaches and idiom of expression,
struggle as well as for a new polity. They included
the discourses on national cultural policy in 1972
theory and practice of Satyagrah and civil
and 1992 were focussed on three facets of the tasks
disobedience together with some key items of
of nation-state building. First, to deal with the
constructive programme in their agenda of nation
threats to values of democratic secularism and
building. But his perspective was not accepted by harmony as enshrined4 in th e Constitution-
the Congress leader-ship and others on the eve of Secondly, on both the occasions, the need for a
Independence and later. In fact, after 1947 the national culture was felt in the context of well-
Nehruvian approach primarily and Hindu entrenched colonial cultural t r a d i t i o n and
secularism have to some extent influenced the colonization of the mind of Indian power elite
thinking of the dominant political class especially during unfreedom. Thirdly the need for national
in regard to policies regarding political and cultural policy aimed at building a swadeshi
economic fields and science and technology aimed at intellectual outlook and temper and for economic
achieving the ideals of the Indian Constitution. development, cultural education and
In the pre-1947 period the problem of empowerment of the marginalized sections. The
minorities was perceived as a primary obstacle to a objective of culture policy was to counter the on-
united struggle against British rule and transfer of slaught of videshi influence through mass media
power leading to Independence. The problems of and free trade etc, as a matter of policy.
minorities were sought to be resolved in terms of The problems of unity, democracy and secular
quantum of share of power in legislative and character of India were perceived in the context of
administrative structures and reservation for n a t i o n building b u t not in the context of
minorities. This morphological approach led to civilizational transition. Perhaps, culture was
partition. considered, by and large, as an "outhouse" of the
main structures of polity. It was viewed as a
Even the Constituent Assembly, in the first conglomerate of fine arts and folk arts and other
instance, adopted the morphological approach. But it
backtracked in the light of the experience of
concrete forms of cultural heritage and cultural composition and content of national product in the
organizations as reflected in the much publicized field of manufacturing industries, how consumerist
extravaganzas called, ''cultural festivals" abroad. values have to be related to national policy on
Culture has not been viewed as a dynamic factor, culture.
which in India is a result of interaction between No doubt, the formulations regarding media
the tradition and modernity (specially its scientific at the Shimla Seminar in 1972 are pertinent.
and technological component). India's traditional Nevertheless, these need to be updated in the light
cultural values a n d political and economic of the communication revolution in India during
modernization have worked at cross purposes as eighties and nineties. And as regards the HRD
aggressively as modern science and technology have Draft, the formulation on media are superficial
been operating antagonistically against because India's experience in 1992 with TV was
traditional life styles, specially that of tribal India. rather scanty and with Internet was nil.
India's concept of nationalism today is also devoid
of civilization or c ultural contents. The The media in India has expanded
implementation of India's science and technology exponentially during 1985-2005 and its impact
policy (namely, industrialization and on culture has been substantially chaotic and
urbanization) has given rise to such cultural values confusing culturally and otherwise. In this
and has thrown up such social and economic forces connection, it is worth the while to recall that in
which often not only undermine core-values or the West when TV sets were produced first in
perennial values, but have the potential to create 1920-30, it was not in response to any social and
an artificial prototype of "Indian man." There was cultural requirement, at that time. The origin of
no attempt in the document (1992) to examine the TV and Internet lies in the military needs for a
relation between science and technology, culture better and direct secret communication system.
and development; how these three elements will The hitech media had to discover or create
be dovetailed into an overall national policy. programmes to justify its existence. And since by
its very nature TV transmits something that has
In other words, the debates on national policy of
happened or was happening or was available
culture ignored the cultural implications of the
readily at hand, hews, sports, or live events,
political culture, engendered during the last ten
entertainment, films and music became defining
decades. These do not provide for any "clue", as
qualities or staple raw material of TV
how to reckon with it in day-to-day life and the
programmes.
long-term needs. Modern developments in India
have thrown up their own effluents and pollutants. In India also the communication revolution
The draft documents do offer little to deal with during the past 20-25 years did not take place in
this as well as other sources of cultural pollution. response to the needs of the people. In the absence
Further, it was not fully recognized that scientific of a well-considered national communication policy
technology is not culture-neutral. It creates its the rapid expansion of the hi-tech communication
own cultural forms and societal forces. A national network has, inter-alia, created divisions in the
policy on culture will have to reckon with social fabric as well as fractures in the collective
implications of scientific technology. mind. A culture policy is called for to harness the
communication revolution in the service of harmony
Further, political power managed through
and equilibrium and development.
democratic processes and rapid economic
prosperity of certain classes generates its own The plan of action for culture in the 1992
culture. The draft national policy and culture document does not flow from the policy perspectives
overlooked this aspect of pollution of culture. There is enunciated in the first and second parts. Moreover,
need for a debate or a fresh approach to a culture the plan of action in regard to management of plan
policy, which in turn should call for a review of does not appear to take into cognizance the
national science policy, media policy and economic experience of the last four decades in this field.
and political policies. Specifically stated, how TV The state sponsored programme for the
programmes sponsored by private sector, how preservation and promotion of cultural heritage
market processes like advertisement, how the has given rise to many distortions. It has created
^
a powerful vested interest which in collaboration Social history and political history a history of
with political and economic and bureaucratic forces art and literature are being reconstructor
has played havoc with culture, of which the destructured in the light of either "dalit"
phenomena of "cultural festival" abroad was one consciousness or "hindutva" consciousness
example. The management of the various national "secular" consciousness in a bid to capture
academies in the states and at the Centre has the mind of Indian people. '
created a culture-bureaucratic-structure, has After mid-eighties the caste factor in politic
monopolized culture in the name of autonomy. again began to acquire pre- eminence. No
These forces have refused to change their ways. doubt the caste system and untouchability
No future policy on culture can be meaningful, if it is have been declining on account of struggle for
n o t based on a critical assessment of the independence and urbanisation and
historical experience of culture management. industrialisation. No the Constitution of India
prohibited the practice of untouchability and
In a country like India, the type of macro-
the Government of India enacted a law making
national policy on culture as reflected in the draft
it a penal offence. No doubt a measure of
can itself become a divisive factor. Indian culture is
liberalisation has taken place 3 respect of
a mosaic of local of regional cultures; there are at
temple entry, drinking water and inter caste
least 52 socio-cultural zones with their own
dining and marriages. The implementation of
respective social histories (mind you, not political
Mandal Report has no doubt led to a sort o
history which divides). The draft policy on culture
empowerment of the OBCs. B u t in spite of
does not fully take cognizance of this reality. these happy developments, interalia, the
The people of India have experienced many caste-schism has been attenuated. There is a
upheavals since 1947. However, much blood has trend to think in te r m s of "Dalit"
flown down many nullahs and gutters and streams consciousness a n d "Dwij" consciousness.
and rivulets and rivers in various parts of India at The Dalit academicians, scholars a n d
an unprecedented scale and speed since 1992. researchers are re -re a ding history and
Perhaps never have the people been exposed to reconstructing it in terms of "Dalit"
such a rapid sequence of traumatic events and consciousnes and "Dwij" consciousness. So
developments as during the past two and half much so that on the occasion of Johannesburg
decades. In short, the Indian polity is in a flux. World Conference on Racial Discrimination
What is required today is a culture policy which is attempts were made to put caste as an entity
in tune with the development in the past one and at par with racial entities. The continuance
half decades and other factors in India and abroad. of the debate about "Dalit"
We should like specially to focus on some of the consciousness has in the long-run the potential
developments which have taken place during this to create more cracks in the collective 'mind'
period. at popular level.

Ill This unhappy processes is further vitiated by


unhealthy interaction between "power"
India and the World: and "culture" of which cultural
Some Trends Trends nationalism is a product. It seems the
in India cultural nationalists are determined to
perpetuate the folly, which was committed
by the Britishers in 1947, who
THERE has been considerable unwholesome vivisected a composite civilization into
interaction between "the sacred" and "the secular." two artificial Nation-States. Similarly,
The "sacred" has been secularised and the Hindutva wants to unify Indian society
"secular" saffronised.' The collective psyche of the and consolidate Indian State. But it is
Indian people has sustained multiple fractures. In functioning as a basically psychologically
the pre-1947 period-organised religion and divisive movement. It is paradoxical that
fundamentalism damaged mainly the political. Hindutva in reality divides, while its
Even in the worst of times, it did not seep into proclaimed long-term objective is to unite.
India's collective mind. It did not create schism in t h e
old fabric based on pluralism. For instance today, It has definite patterns. According to a noted
the Indian psyche is showing serious hairline cracks.

Hindutva psychological construction-revival


psychoanalyst, (Dr. Sudhir Kacker): follows a storyline with certain clear turnings of the
plot. To recapitulate, these are: marking afresh ( h e A politically ambitious influential cross-section of
boundaries of the community, making th e the economic elite and administrative elite in the
community conscious of a collective cultural loss, fast-developing geographically contiguous states in
countering internal forces which seek to disrupt the south and in the West India seems to be in
die unity of the freshly demarcated community, considerable anti-national haste to a t t a i n high
idealizing the community and maintaining its levels of affluence even at the cost of national unity.
sense of grandiosity by comparing it to a bad 'other' They have begun to feel that the persistently slow
which, at times, becomes an oppressive persecutor pace of developmental process in some
and, finally, dealing with the persecutory fantasies, geographically contiguous economically a n d
which also bring up to the surface the community's socially backward states in the North is a roadblock in
particular sense of inferiority, by resort to some the progress of economies in the south and the West.
kind of forceful action." Hence questions are being asked as to why should the
resources (such as revenue resources) in the southern
Hindutva appeals to a group identity while
and western regions be shared with the laggard
creating it. It both mirrors the listeners'
backward states? Why should the endowments of
sentiments and gives them birth. The images,
the advanced states be not used within their
metaphors, and mythological allusions of Hindutva
geographical bounds?
have a resonance for the audience because they
also have a resonance for her. There have occurred qualitative changes in (i) the
equation between the civil society and the state; (11) in
Particularly, since early nineties Hindutva
the equation between the various constituents of
movement has begun to condition the thinking of
civil society; (iii) in the self-image or self-perception
larger and larger sections of people. It has generated
of the various constituents of civil society and (iv) in
an acrimonious d e bat e about "secularism",
the equation between the global and the local. All
"pseudo-secularism". India's middle ages, are
this affects national harmony.
presented as the period of slavery or unfreedom of
which British rule was a continuation. There has Indian polity is getting lumpenised rapidly with
emerged a "Hindutva" school of history of India. all its implications, especially for good
governance and good society. There is also a
Moreover, the terrorist attacks on World
breakdown of linguistic and conceptual
Trade Centre in New York on September 11, 2001
terminology, which was in vogue during the
has been systematically used to prove that Islam is
national movement --e.g., ambivalence has crept in
an intolerant religion. Fears of Islamization of
the definition of the popularly accepted national values
societies have again begun to haunt the minds of
- democracy, nationalism, secularism and federalism.
Hindutva leadership and intellectuals. This is
There are calibrated efforts to re-define the individual
reflected in voluminous popular anti-Islamic
and collective identities, in terms of sectarian and
literature produced by fundamentalist Hindu
revivalist interpretations of liberal secularism and
groups, including VHP. In these writings an
democracy.
attempt is made to highlight the intolerant
character of Islam and to prove that the tolerant In India (known for its catholicity and long-
pluralistic character of Islam society is a myth. range tolerance) pursuit of Freedom, Equality,
The fear of "the other" is being systematically Fraternity and Social Justice (on the basis of which
inculcated among the people various constitutional, legal and political
instrumentalities evolved during the past five
Further, separatist feelings or
decades) itself generates conflicts. There are
diaggregationist sentiments are also giving rise
indications of cracks in the political mind of India
to thinking about what may be described as,
about the content of secularism and democracy.
'regional autarky' of a type, which is qualitatively
Inequalities, casteism, communalism, ethnicity,
different from the commonly known regionalism.
regionalism and sectarianism are spreading in the
wake of democratic evolution and the democratic
system as such does not seem to be able to cope
upheavals in one part of the world travel
with them sweepingly to other parts. No regulatory barriers
While conflict along the Indo-Pakistan and mechanisms evolved during the past century
border in Kashmir and Punjab is five decades by the nation-state can withstand their onslaughts
old in recent tunes the incidence of various Consequently, ideology, religion, caste,
forms of violence has been on the rise, tribe/ethnicity and nationalism to which people
especially violence in Bihar, Tripura, Assam, and their leaders still cling desperately for
Orissa, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh. definition, security, identity, cohesion, etc are
India faces human emergencies, which cover rendered inadequate.
massive displacement, disease and hunger and
conflict. Terrorism also is a serious problem in To be concrete, the potentialities of
scores of districts in nine states in India. benevolent forces unleashed by French
Besides economic factors, the state of affairs Revolution, American Revolution and Soviet
has been created by growing intolerance and a Revolution are fast approaching a point beyond
climate of impunity, which is not amenable to which they will prove harmful. Freedom, Equality
policing alone. The system is at the end of the and Fraternity have been the basis of unity and
tether, an alternative approach based on certain cohesion within nation-states in the advanced
values is imperative. countries of the, West and elsewhere in Asia and
Africa. During the past two decades while more
It seems democratic institutions are no
and more countries in Africa also are opting for
longer capable of self-regulation and self-
the democratic model of governance, the
correction. The instruments and processes and
dynamics of the operation of the institution in the
procedures of India's liberal democracy are no liberal democratic regimes have also generated
longer in a position to muster up the additional divisive trends and violence and authoritarianism.
capacity to modulate the public discourses and In fact, even in the West, (for instance, The
behaviour. Netherlands, France and the bastions of liberalism
No doubt, today India has a system of and tolerance in Europe) migrations have created
governance which is impressive. But some of multi-religious societies and there are strains.
the key institutions are not functional Democracy, socialism and nationalism, which are
effectively. This structure is afflicted with institutional expressions of freedom, equality,
internal haemorrhage in the form of waste- fraternity in modern times being space - specific
fulness, redundancy and misappropriation and and time-specific and society-specific are subject
under utilization. It shows symptoms of a sort to interpretations.
of institutional meltdown. In short, the various Speed and acceleration have emerged as a
national policies regarding various facets of determinant of culture in general and quality of
reconstruction or construction of Indian polity life in particular. It is aggravating the in-built
formulated during the past five decades, need malevolent characteristics of modern culture,
another comprehensive paradigm within which which can be described as "culture of
various nation-building tasks can be coalesced. expression." Access time, meaning how quickly
Some General Trends end can be effected has today become the
default criteria of all progress. Speed is like a
Communication revolution during the past new drug to which societies are fast getting
two and a half decades has initiated, facilitated, addicted. What can regulate a high-speed and
and accelerated the pace of globalization, hence a high-risk society?
specially the sponsored globalization under
WTO regime. Put in the words of poet Tagore, In this context, it must be pointed out that
"suddenly the walls that separated different modern hi-tech science fuels this speed-
races seem to have given way and we find sustained social structure. The rate of
ourselves face to face". In fact, the earth itself conversion of an expanding corpus of scientific
has become more vulnerable not only to the knowledge into high technology is already,
planetary invasions, but also to the infection by high. But the rate of application of high
bacteria embedded in the rocks brought for technology for mass production
research from planets like the Mars.
Tsunami like waves of disturbance and
of consumer goods as well as means of mass grounds.
destruction an d exploitation of Nature's resources "Cyberspace creates new problems for ethics, partly
is still higher. Consequently, high technology is generated by the nature of technology and partly by the
speedily nit-picking the society - more and more variety and flow of information...Cyberspace is a
“express modes” have begun to effect more and e technological space and a symbolic medium of a world of
spheres of social and individual life. But since the fantasy where the question of self is reinvented or
speed at which human collectivities can change and collaged in a , virtual space which demands
adapt wholesomely is much lower than the d i f f e r e n t understandings of space, time and agency."
speed of penetration of new goods and services in (Shiv Vishwanathan).
the system, this involves a great strain on the
In short, "whether it is a question of
process of cultural adaptation.
biotechnology or test tube babies or running of the life
Epoch-making developments in the realm of ‘big’ support system, whether the Vatican thinks of
science and technology (space research, cyber controlling the population or whether it is a question
communication, biotechnology and higher physics) of violence, the connecting thing is ethics*'. Science is
during the past two and half decades have raised not enough, as it seems to be not connected with
not only ethical, philosophical and theological but feeling, values, anxiety and other human weaknesses.
social, political and economic challenges. For The foundations of the available classical
instance, take the space research. Dr. Yashpal political thought a n d sociology have been
when he was Secretary-General of UN Conference challenged. Globalization calls for a- fresh look at
on Outer Space in 1981 argued for a number of social-science evolved in 18lh and 19th and first half of
new human rights, since new capabilities such as 20th centuries. The theory of social contract is
space technology for communication and earth anachronistic. A new social contract is needed
observation imply new responsibilities. He said particularly in classical economic theory where-in land,
these human rights are that every human should be labour and capital are still considered main factors of
able to talk to everyone on the planet and every one production. Globalization (e-commerce, etc) has made
should be able to know where he and she was at any knowledge, tr us t, and sound management of bio-
moment of time. These human rights should be diversity and natural resources as factors of production.
guaranteed independent of economic status, very Faith is the marrow of globalized economy. Thus
much like fresh air and water. globalizatiori of national economies is creating
Similarly, the nuclearization of states has raised conditions for re-writing of the economic theory
according to which "The business of business is in
new challenges. The process of acquiring nuclear
business in which moral standards have no
weapons changes the state that undertakes
relevance" (Bernard Mandelvile). Globalized
it "creating new interests, bureaucratic ^actors,
economy rejects the view that dishonesty, selfishness
beliefs, perspective and expectations." Just as
and devotion to vice lay at the root of prosperity
peaceful use of modern science and technology in (Brian Griffith). Particularly, more and more hitherto
the long run brings about qualitative changes the marginalized sections of society are entering the
character of civilization and the states, mainstream because of which the system of
‘nuclearism' also brings about change in the governance is increasingly tending to be people-
character of a state and nation. It has been driven (that is, democratic) and people-oriented (that
confirmed, "the biggest fallout may well be the it is not solely). Hence state-oriented "human
changed character of the Indian state itself and factors" should take command or precedence over
the outlook of the elite." "power factors" and "technology factors."
Since the time the sheep Dolly was cloned, This perception of the nature of economic
worldwide debate among scientists and other activity, though not acknowledged in theory, has been
leaders of public opinion has been going on in adopted on many critical junctures of economic
regard to ethical, philosophical and theological development in Europe in the second half
implications of cloning. The idea of making stem
cells from human embryo has been an issue of
passionate controversy on moral and ethical
its seams, as if it has reached the limits of its
evolution. The available political

of the 20 th century. For example, take


Marshall Plan to reconstruct the war ravaged
Europe. The success of Marshall Plan is a
testament to the integrity of America and
Europeans. But for these non-economic and
non-political inputs the miraculous
reconstruction of Europe would not have been
possible. Today also globalization of national
economies calls for formal inclusion of non-
economic factors in the economic theory
propounded by Adam Smith.
Take the Proletarian Cultural Revolution
(1966-76) which was launched by the Chinese
Communist Party Chairman, Mao Zedong, to
stem, what he perceived as the country's drift
away from socialism and towards "the
restoration of capitalism." Though now it is
being regarded as a terrible catastrophe for the
Chinese nation, it was claimed that the Cultural
Revolution "touch people to their very soul."
The origin of the Cultural Revolution can be
traced to mid-1950s in Mao Zedong's anxieties
about the bureaucratization of the party,
ideological degeneration in society as a whole,
and the glaring socio-economic inequalities that
had emerged in China through the early 1960s.
Mao concluded that the source of China's
political retrogression lay in the false and self-
serving view of many of his party colleagues
that class struggle ceased under socialism. The
principal targets of Mao were, on one hand,
party and government officials (new class)
divorced from the masses and, on the other,
intellectuals who in his view were repository of
bourgeoisie and even feudal values.
One need not be a votary of Cultural
Revolution in China as such to view it as a
"phenomena" in the history of China at a
particular juncture of its evolution. It represents
an approach to the unhappy developments in
China, the approach was "cultural" as opposed
to the "political". It underlined the fact that if a
nation fails on the political front, the answer
does not lie in finding solutions within the
political system but in the domain of "culture"
also.
As per an assessment of the Club of Rome
in the seventies the world had reached the
"limits of growth." Similarly, the international
community which is poised for being
transformed into a global village is bursting at
and economic panaceas arc proving democratic rule can be found. Similarly, it should
ineffective science has reached a point at not be regarded as impossible to establish human
which it overturns nature and human nature right in every culture, being formulations a part of
and thus creates serious philosophical and different approaches, different emphases and
ethical dilemmas: organized religion has different formulations." (ibid).
lost its traditional role as a guiding force, The UNO Charter recognized the importance
institutional structures based on Freedom of tolerance. On account of tragic conflicts in post-
and Equality and Fraternity create more a cold war years, it decided to proclaim 1995 the
problems than they solve. The collective ‘Year for Tolerance’. For the first time it put
can not cope with situation in which speed account on personal virtue that is increasingly
has been rendered as a cultural ingredient. viewed as a political and legal requirement for
To use a mathematical analogy we need a peaceful co-existence to counter influences "that
constant "K" to balance the equations lead to fear and prejudice to develop the ability to
comprising several additional variables. This judge independently, think critically and reason
constant "K" informs the texture of the fabric ethically." The UNESCO also adopted a
of collective life ensures a stable equilibrium declaration of ‘Principle of Tolerance’. Even in
between the part and the part as well as the part recent times the futility or inadequacy of exclusive
and the whole. It serves as glue, as it were. reliance on economic and political perspectives has
been recognised by the United Nations. The think-
Several attempts have been made to
tank of the UNO under the guidance of the
describe the constant "K". We give a brief
Secretary-General, have realized that the
account of a few debates in some quarters on promotion and preservation of peace and
the need for 'core values'. It is argued,
"especially since the world wide turmoil of the
years 1989 to 1991 and the subsequent ending
of the Cold War, the interest in discussion on
core-value has increased considerably."
(Helmut Reifield). Further, "every culture has
values of its own, among these elements of
!
prevention of war and of resolution of inter-state IV
and ultra-state conflicts are not possible as per
political and economic, social and cultural Concluding Remarks
provisions of the UNO Charter. This hardware of IT may be recalled that long before animal
the UN Charter can not enable the UNO to cope organisms grew bones minute creatures crawled or
with not only the conventional type of wars and slithered between grains of mud or sand in
conflicts but also with the fresh challenges of a primordial waters. These cryptic organisms which
rapidly globalizing world; the software of non- had neither skeletons nor even substance to leave
political, non-economic strategies is crucial. For detectable burrows and tracks slowly evolved for
example, Katherine Marshall who oversees the half a billion years upto the Cambrian period when
World Bank urged a new partnership between there occurred, what is called, "Big Bang Animal
religious groups and development specialists. She Evolution/* due to a mighty explosions of biological
said, "religious organisations have long played a creativity. It caused massive expansion in the size
special role in both understanding and helping the complexity and body architecture of animals. We
poor. Yet their insights and their work are too little are told that such sudden outbursts of cosmic
known in many development circles." It was stated, energy also take place in the outer space when
"it is our belief that what is needed is a new model monumental black holes open up suddenly and
of development that draws on both scientific gobble up scores of solar systems. Suddenness or
methods and universal values inherent in all abruptness also marks the incidence of the
religions... mainly materialistic approach that has earthquake under the seas or elsewhere. Any small
dominated the current development and paradigm is quake has the probability of cascading into a
not enough". "It is our belief1, say the preliminary dangerous mega event. We can only tell where a
findings of a UNO Colloquium "that what is needed is quake will hit, but not when. For instance,
a new model of development which will be better Britain's last battering was 7000 years ago but
able to stimulate human transformation and build
individual and community capacity."
some scientists say that events are inexorably 3. Recommendations Made in National
priming a Tsunami in the south coast of Britain. Colloquium on Culture Policy, New Delhi,
When it will strike is anyone's guess, could be right 16-17 November 1992.
now, or 20 years or 200 years from now. 4. Observations/Comments made by
In short, a lay understanding of t h e members of Parliamentary Committee of the
"unseeable" working of the nature shows that even Ministry of Human Resource Development
stirrings and small strains and stresses can in the meeting held during 6 to 17 August
1992.
cascade into disasters contortions and convulsions.
What is true of nature is also true of man-made 5. D. Adams and Ariene Goldbard, Basic
systems; a kind of Tsunami is priming invisibly in Concepts: Modern M eans of Culture Policy-
the "heart" of India. making 6 file/p 63/shekhar/basic%20
cultural policy%20 concepts. Htn.
There is limited evidence in India of a public 31.5.2004.
debate on this aspect of national life. In fact, the 6. Webster's World of Cultural Policy (an
debate initiated in Shimla in 1972 and by the online resource centre for the study of
Government in 1992 has been not only put in the Cultural Policy from the Perspective of
cold storage but the developments in India and Cultural Democracy (tile/shekhar/
world since 1972 also have been ignored. On the Websters%20 world% 20 of % p cultural%
contrary, the government, the national leaders, the 20 policy htn
media czars and the articulate academia and the 7. Geeta Sharma, 'Culture in Cold Storage',
spokesmen of the corporate sector complacently The Telegraph, Calcutta, 7 April 1995.
accept the validity of the existing framework of
8. Devdutt, 'Politics of National Policy on
values and are convinced that the framework is
Culture', Sandesh, Vol 1 & Vol. II,
sound enough and are dreaming that India will
Ahmedabad, 24 August 1992.
emerge as a "military power," " political power,"
"economic power" and "knowledge power" all rolled 9. Devdutt, 'National Cultural Policy'
in one, in the first quarter of the 21Kt century or a (Some Facts and Reflections): A paper
little later. presented at National Seminar on
Secularism, New Delhi, August, 2004.
No doubt there is a small cross-section of 10. Badri Nath, Chaturvedi, 'Dharma, India
opinion leaders, who are unhappy about the and World Order' - Twenty Essays: Some
situation for a different set of reasons. While they Points for Discussion (A note by
favour an overhaul or revamping of the structure, Ramaswamy R. lyer)
they do not recognise the fact that the new
11. International Federation of Red Cross
challenges during the past two decades have
and Red Cresent Societies: Annual Report,
rendered the framework fragile, if not vulnerable. In
1997.
our view both of them are unrealistic.
12. Helmut Reifeld, Pluralism and Equity:
This paper should be perceived as an early Values in Indian Society and Politics,
timely warning. It is an attempt to initiate a public (Edited by Imtiaz Ahmed, Partha. S.Ghosh,
debate, firstly, on the urgent need for a major Helmut Reifeld, New Delhi, 2000.
paradigm shift in the light of internal and external 13. Draft of Paper entitled 'Social Research
developments during the past few decades and, Movement in China* presented at Asian
secondly, to explore and identify the new framework Social Movement Workshop in Beijing,
or paradigm which can enable our people to prevent 8^14 October 2004.
an occurrence of Tsunami like disaster. 14. Vishwanathan, Shiv, An invitation to a
Select Bibliography Quarrel: Case of IT Bill, Economic and
1. Indian Institute of Advance Study, Towards a Political Weekly, 27 May 2000.
Cultural Policy for India: Statement': 1972, 15. Mumbai, pp. 1789-1794.
Shimla.
2. Union Ministry of Human Resource'
Development, National Culture Policy,
New Delhi, 1992, pp.29, Devdutt is a senior journalist based in New
Delhi.

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